I got this bistro set from another Buy Nothing member. The chair seats had recently been recovered and were in good shape. The set was made of solid wood in a classic design.
There was even a nice floral detail on the pedestal which gave the set a little flair.
I didn’t have a plan in mind when I picked up the set. However, after finding a bright Ikat-type print at a reuse store for $2, I decided to plan around that. You can see in the ‘after’ pictures that the colors go nicely with a stained glass window I have.
TIP You don’t have to use upholstery fabric when covering chair seats. Just make sure the fabric is tightly woven, is not stretchy, and that it is thick enough to not be seen through and unlikely to tear once you staple it in place.
I covered the chair seats with the Ikat print. All I needed to do was to remove the seats from the chairs and staple the new fabric over them. I then painted the chairs and the table pedestal with Annie Sloan’s Amsterdam Green chalk paint. I lightly sanded the tabletop and coated all the wood with clear polycrylic. I love that the wood grain shows through on the tabletop. And now the plain bistro has a little kick to it. Now we have a cheerful breakfast nook, perfect for enjoying coffee and a pastry to start the day.
